Life-preserver and swimming apparatus.



PATENTED' APR. 28. 1903.

W. P. TIBBITS. LIFE PRESERVER AND SWIMMING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

. amen/15oz m: "cams PETERS 00.. Puma-Lima. WASHINGTON. n. c.

NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

WILEY PRESTON TIBBITS, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

LlFE-PR'ESERVER AND s wilvuvlmc APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of ilett ers iPatent No. 726,784, dated April 28, 1903.

Serial No. 111,506. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILEY PRESTON TIB- BITS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in a Combined Life-Preserver and Swimming Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention.

The invention relates to life-preservers and swimming apparatus.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which shall be simple of construction, comparatively inexpensive of production, light in weight, andof so little bulk about the body when inflated ready for use that it can be conveniently worn at all times while on the water to prevent'a person from drowning if thrown suddenly and without warning into the water fromauy cause whatever and which may also be used to good advantage by persons learning to swim, it being absolutely impossible for a person to sink.

With these and otherobjects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view illustrating the application of the in-.

vention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the life-preserver. Fig. 3 is a detail" view of an air-valve which may be used-in connection with the mouthpiece.

Referring to the drawings, ldenotes the shoulder-support of my life-preserver, which may be in the form of a garment provided with armholes 2 and a neckband '3, the latter of which is divided at front andjrear and provided with buttons and buttonholesfor fastening the garment around theheckafter the head'has been sli pped through it. Any other form of garment, harness, .or attaching device may, however, be substituted forftha't described. without departing from the scope. or sacrificing any of the privileges of the invention.

The body portion of the life-preserver consists of a casing, within which is a spirallyarranged inflatable air tight tube 4, pro

vid'ed at one end with a mouthpiece 5, adapt- .ed to be closed by a screw-cap 6, which is ;flexibly connected to the garment by a tape or string 7, as shown in Fig.1 of the drawings, or the said mouthpiece may be closed by an antoinatically-closing valve, as shown Qiu Fig. 3 of the drawings. The casing within whichth'is tube is secured is madeof canvas, muslin, or any other suitable flexible texjfo'rm as the tube and acts as a protecting-euveloptherefor. When madein the same form ,as the tube, it has, of course. the same spiral cured together, so as to make a complete sur- 'rouncling body portion-for the wearer. By making this envelop spiral in form tubes similar to those now used for the inner tubes of pneumatic tires may be used in the manufacture of the life-preservers.

7 Another important feature of the-invention resides in contracting or reducingiin diameter the upper end of the envelop through which the mouthpiece of the tube projects, or, in other words, forming it into a narrow neck 8. This will prevent the rubber tube from accidentally working or being drawn from out of its envelop when it is in an inflated condition; but when in its deflated condition the tube may be readily withdrawn from its envelop for the purpose of replacing it with a new one should the old one become damaged or unfit for use by hardening. This device may be conveniently worn about theibody of,a person under or over his or her regular garments, andthus a person be prepared for any accidents upon the wa- -ter.= It is alsovespecially adapted for use in learningto swim," as it is absolutely impossible for a persouto sink while the preserver is about the body and in inflated condition. It mayalso be: worn by seafaring mensuch asfishermah and life-saving crewsand will not interfere when in position about the body with their movements in performing their oc-' cupations.

Instead of using a cap, ashereinbefore described, for closing the openingin the mouthpiece I may use an air-valve, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and consisting of a cylindrical metal casing 9, preferably of aluminium, and which may be corrugated or and has its edges stitched or otherwise setile material and is preferably of the same I roughened on its outer surface, so that it may be securely attached to the tube of the mouthpiece. The casing 9 is open at the top and closed at its lower end, said end being provided with two small holes 10 for the admission of air to the tubing. The casing 9 is divided midway its length by a partition 12, which is provided with a central orifice, through which is adapted to pass the stem 13 of a check-valve 14/ 15 denotes a coilspring arranged within the lower portion of the casing and confined between the valve 14 and the lower end of the casing, the tension of said spring being to normally force the valve against the partition 12 and close the opening therein. The stem 13 of the valve is adapted to protrude slightly beyond the open end of the cylinder, so that when placed in the mouth the said end will press against the teeth and open the valve to admit air being blown in, and is also used to open the valve to allow the air to escape from the tubes after using. i

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, mode of operation, and advantages of the invention will be readily understood without requiring an extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A life-preserver consisting of ashouldersupport and a body portion connected thereto in the form of a spiral envelop the edges of which are secured together to form an inclosing body portion to surround the body of the wearer and one end of which is provided With a reduced neck portion, an inflatable tube located within the spiral envelop and following its sinuous direction and having its upper end extending through the reduced neck portion of the envelop and provided with a mouthpiece, and a cap for closing the mouthpiece, substantially as specified.

2. A life-preserver consisting of a garment to fit the shoulders and the waist, the waist portion of the garment being in the form of a spiral envelop and connected to the shoulder portion and having one end thereof free and pendent and reduced, and an inflatable tube arranged within said envelop and having its end projecting from without the reduced portion of the envelop and provided with a cut-off valve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILEY PRESTON TIB BITS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE WIGGIN, OSCAR J. PUNCHES. 

